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Company
A Company is a large ground unit comprised of two or more Platoons, often combining Infantry with various types of Vehicles, up to and including Armor. Companies are typically the largest units seen in ShackTac videos (excluding the very rare Armored Battalions), and may contain over 100 men in total. The Company is lead by a Company Commander and Company XO, and typically has plenty of Aircraft and a FAC in support, as well as one or more Logistics units. A Company typically operates over a massive area (several kilometers long), and the battle plan may call for its subordinate elements to operate very far apart from one another. It is up to the Commander and XO to coordinate the action between the Company's disparate parts despite this distance, while also dispatching support elements to whichever unit needs them. Companies were seen very often in Cooperative ArmA 2 videos, thanks to the robustness of the technical aspects of mass-scale multiplayer in that version of the game. As of 2017, ArmA 3 does not yet allow missions on such a massive scale, although Armored Companies have been seen occasionally (they require fewer players). In most Company-sized missions, the Company is split into two "taskforces" operating in two different areas (pursuing two different objectives simultaneously) with one taskforce being commanded by the Company Commander, and the other by the Company XO, or some other similar setup. Coordination between different elements of the Company takes place on Company Net, where the commander distributes orders and collects reports. Each lower element (e.g., Infantry Platoons) then uses its own communication method to coordinate the actions of its own subordinate elements. Typical Structure A Company's structure and force composition is highly adjustable to match the requirements of the mission. Infantry and Mechanized Companies are the most commonly seen in ShackTac videos, and even their structure is subject to significant change from one mission to the next. The basic setup - meaning, the types of Platoons forming the backbone of the Company - usually affect which additional support units will also be present. Infantry Company The Infantry Company is centered around two Infantry Platoons, typically operating some distance from one another. One of the Platoons may be a partial platoon (fewer than three full Squads). Infantry often require resupply on long missions, which can be brought to them by a dedicated Logistics unit or brought in by Air Transports. Infantry often enjoy Close Air Support from the air. In some missions, the infantry will be taken into and out of the combat zone by helicopters, or alternatively by their own light vehicles (trucks, jeeps). |} |} Mechanized Company A Mechanized Company mixes Infantry with several APCs which are directly attached to the platoons themselves - forming Mechanized Platoons. In this setup, the vehicles provide close support and transportation to the infantry, and will stick with the infantry throughout the entire mission. Mechanized Platoons themselves can be set up in different ways, putting the vehicles under the command of the Platoon Leader or under direct command of individual Squad Leaders. The addition of APCs reduces the need for Close Air Support or Air Transport, but increases the need for a mobile Logistics unit, and often an Engineers unit to keep the vehicles in good shape. |} |} Combined Arms Company A Combined Arms Company also mixes Infantry with Vehicles, but in this case it will use IFVs (and sometimes even Tanks) to screen the infantry from enemy vehicles and other serious threats. In this setup, the vehicles are not integrated into the Platoons, but will instead be set apart in their own Vehicle Platoons or Vehicle Sections, allowing them the freedom to maneuver around the infantry to block the enemy's avenues of approach. The vehicles are not expected to offer much (or any) transportation to the infantry, but are themselves more heavily-armed and combat-capable than a Mechanized Company's APCs (see prev. section). The presence of vehicles pretty much mandates the use of Engineers to keep them in action. |} |} Armored Company The Armored Company is centered entirely around heavy vehicles, primarily Tanks with IFV support. These are arranged into Tank Platoons, with 4 Tanks/IFVs in each platoon. An Armored Company actually shares more in common with an Infantry Platoon, both in the way it operates and the number of men it has in total. The Tank Platoons typically operate together with one another as a single mass force, providing each other with support as they advance to their objectives. Heavier aircraft, such as Attack Helicopters and Jets are also commonly seen supporting such units, and an Engineers unit is crucial to keep the force going. |} |} Roles A Company consists of one Company HQ element, and at least two Platoon-strength units under its command, with any number of additional support elements of various types. The Platoons are tasked with accomplishing the actual objectives of the mission - the combat itself. The HQ element is a non-combat unit, which often trails the rest of the Company (or part of it) in relative safety. The support elements, if any, are tasked with providing whatever assistance the main force requires. The list below does not mention the quantity of each element in a Company, because the numbers change drastically depending on the type of company involved, as well as the mission parameters. For more information, see the individual articles on Infantry Company, Mechanized Company, Combined Arms Company, and Armored Company. In total, a Company can easily contain upwards of 100 players, which is why Company-sized forces are featured much more often in ArmA 2 videos, thanks to ArmA 2's superior ability to handle a large number of players in a single mission. Armored Companies are typically much smaller, with around 60 players or so in total, and have only started appearing in ShackTac's ArmA 3 videos.